If Jimmy Hadn't Been So Damned Curious
by Jezzi1996
Summary: This is about what might have happened to Jimmy if in the first episode he hadn't been so curious & gone to see what the men in black were up to therefore preventing his being drugged and reverted into a child. Naturally, Jimmy/Rachel KINDA ABANDONED
1. Chapter 1

If Jimmy Hadn't Been So Damned Curious

_A/N: This is about what might have happened to Jimmy if, in the first episode, he hadn't been so curious, gone to see what the men in black were up to, therefore preventing his being drugged and reverted into a child. I'm sure you read the summary and that's why you even decided to read this, so I realize that this is a pointless author's note, but it's here anyway. Deal with it. Also, to those of you who read my Twilight story, Engaged, sorry for not writing anything in a while, no inspiration struck me until I saw one of my favorite episodes of Case Closed. I figured I'd try broadening my horizons, try and make a oneshot. If I have the inspiration to write more, I will. If not, this is a oneshot. I'm going to shut up now. Please enjoy.  
_

_Huh. Wonder what they're up to._ Jimmy started running after the men in black, who had just disappeared into the shadows. Then he thought of Rachel. Rachel, who he kept blowing off. Rachel, who would kick his ass for this afterward-he saw what she did to that pole. Rachel, who he loved. Rachel, who was so frightening when angry, so small when scared. So tender, emotional, all that she needed to make her perfect. Strength, both physical and emotional, useful when she lost her mother. Tenderness, why she was so sad right now, because she felt other people's pain. Fear, not just for herself, but for all those she cared about. If, and he'd admit it, it was a long shot with the way she acted around him, but if she cared about him at all, even as a casual friend, she'd worry about him the entire time he was off in the shadows. This passed through his mind in less than a second. He stopped, and walked back to Rachel. "Sorry, I won't play detective with the men in black. Any other rides you'd like to go on?"

Rachel couldn't have been more relieved. Those men looked dangerous, and even though it didn't seem like Jimmy liked her as more than a casual friend at best, she couldn't help but care about him the way she did. His cockiness bothered her, but it was as much a part of him as her strength was. He grew up with a successful author for a father and a model for a mother. Self confidence was something in surplus in that happy home, it could only be expected it would rub off on Jimmy. But she loved that he had a goal, a job he knew he wanted to have. A lot of people their age didn't, herself included. She loved that he was athletic, just like her. She loved that he didn't scare easily, so he was a perfect antidote to the fear that overtook her sometimes. She loved that he was passionate, that he could care about something so much. She loved him.

But she knew she shouldn't. She shouldn't even like him as a close friend. He took business from her father, and then joked about it casually as if it were no big deal with her. She felt like a traitor every time he'd be in her thoughts when he didn't belong there. When she'd be reading a romance novel, when she was dreaming. Every time, it would be him. Boys on the boy's karate team had asked her out, but she'd always turned them down because the one time she didn't, Jimmy was on her mind the entire time. She was a traitor to her father, who worked so hard. But that didn't change the way she felt. A small smile tugged at her lips, and she took his hand and led him to the next ride she wanted to go on. Her face flooded with heat from the contact, and when she looked back at Jimmy he looked just like what she was sure she did. Embarrassed and red, with just a hint of happiness sneaking out. Her stomach did flips while her heart felt like it was being squashed. She didn't like the ride, it scared her, but she loved it when he calmed her down when she was scared. The only other time was when Jimmy was on the soccer team.

The soccer and karate teams had a bet, and the soccer teams lost. They had to take the karate teams to a movie, and despite Rachel's protests, it had been a horror. She had sat next to Jimmy, despite attempts to sit elsewhere, and within the first five minutes of the movie, two people had already been slowly dismembered by a man with a hockey mask and a chainsaw. Both young girls who looked like they would have been her age had they been real and gone to her school. She was curled up in a small ball, quietly whimpering as the chainsaw was ripped to life and maniacal laughter filled the theater, when someone had begun rubbing her back. She was ready to elbow Paul, a boy on the boy's karate team who never seemed to stop asking her out, in the face when she realized it was Jimmy. She relaxed, and started to lift her head when she saw the parts of the most recent victim. It was horrifying. Quickly she resumed her position, now adding a slight rocking motion to calm her down. Then Jimmy went back to rubbing her back, and tipped her slightly so her head was against his chest. The rubbing paired with the steady rise and fall of his chest calmed her, but Jimmy's heart was racing, and it was rather loud to her. She noticed it seemed to go even faster when she would press her face into her chest every time someone else was killed, their slowly weakening screams filling the theater time after time. She couldn't let herself hope it was from her face pressing into his chest that caused it, it was probably just a delayed reaction from the carnage on the screen. He was just comforting her because she looked so scared. Anyone probably would have done the same.

_What? This ride? But she scares so easily… no, don't think that. She isn't riding this just so you'll calm her down. She probably just picked it because it had a short line._ Seeing the ride, his mind couldn't help but wander back to that night, that movie. Poor Rachel had been so scared, when he looked over at her, she was in a tiny ball whimpering. He began to rub her back without thinking, when he felt the muscles in her back tighten, then relax. She lifted her head, so he pulled his hand away. Whatever she saw on the screen had her back into the ball, now rocking back and forth. When he pulled her against his chest he nearly exploded. He expected her to push away from him, instead she relaxed. And as time went on, she relaxed even more. He was sure once she calmed down enough, she would shift away from him. But every time screams would fill the theater, or the chainsaw would rip to life, her face would press into his chest, and his heart would become helicopter blades in his chest. When the credits began they had about ten seconds of the villain's laughter before the music began. She crushed her face into his chest, thinking it was someone else was being killed, but all to soon, she realized it wasn't and lifted her head. Her forehead had a slight sheen of sweat, and she looked so relieved, probably because the movie was over. She looked embarrassed, too, as if he wasn't meant to see her frightened, but mostly it was probably about the way she had behaved during the movie. The flush on her cheeks made him want to die. She was embarrassed, because she didn't like him. Or rather, she didn't like him the way he did her. She just didn't push away because she was scared. That was all it really was.

Rachel had been watching the play of emotions as they flitted across Jimmy's face. Shock when he realized what ride she wanted to go on. Then… sadness? But that was quickly replaced by a tender smile, one that seemed to radiate love and adoration. Then there was that sadness again. She would have loved to believe he was thinking of what she had just been reliving, but he didn't like her like that. She was nothing special. He was Jimmy Kudo. Handsome, smart, athletic, successful. He was probably sad because he was thinking of some girl he had taken here, someone smart and pretty, who most certainly wasn't her. He was sad because it wasn't her. That smile was probably because the girl hadn't been scared on this ride, because she was brave, too. Just like Jimmy. She probably moved or something, that's the only reason she wouldn't be his girlfriend, and the only reason he would be sad. The line was short, which was both a good thing and a bad thing. Good: She'd be off the ride all the sooner. Bad: She'd be _on_ the ride all the sooner. She got in, strapped herself in, and took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She didn't need to have a panic attack. The ride started, and she squeezed her eyes shut. After a few seconds, Jimmy's hand was on her back. _Thank you, God._ Rachel instantly relaxed, but her eyes didn't open. Seeing that she seemed better, he took his hand away. But soon enough, she was even worse. He kept rubbing her back, up, down, circle, circle, up, down. Then the ride stopped. _Damn it! _Jimmy's excuse to rub Rachel's back was over.

It was almost time for the park to close, so the two made their way towards the gate. _Come on Jimmy. You can do this. You've done much scarier things. Just tell her._ Jimmy wrestled with himself until he was almost at the gates. There weren't many people nearby. Good. That way no one will see Jimmy Kudo being rejected. He opened hiss mouth, but no sound came out. Instead, a sigh. Rachel didn't seem to notice it, thank god.

Meanwhile, Rachel wondered why Jimmy hadn't followed the men earlier. He definitely wanted to go. But he didn't. What would have made him stop? She would love to believe it was her, and it was only supported by the fact that there wasn't any other reason she could see. Jimmy turned to look at her, and saw a simple happy smile on Rachel's face. "You didn't follow those men before for me." she stated. She was so happy with that knowledge. That smile, the fact that his doing something for her made her so happy, completely shut down his thought process. Words flooded out of him without the filter kicking in to stop any of it until it was well past too late.

"Why wouldn't I have done something for you? You're smart and strong and beautiful and perfect and-and-and I'm going to shut up now" _I am officially screwed. Better make a run for it_. Jimmy turned on his heel and started to run, not noticing how Rachel's smile was big and goofy, and how her face seemed to glow. As Jimmy took off running, Rachel snapped out of her stupor, and started running off after Jimmy. When Rachel reached a turn, cut across the grass and grabbed Jimmy's jacket sleeve. "What the crap, Jimmy? Why'd you run off? My god! How can you call yourself a detective! you're terrible at it!" Jimmy was totally and utterly confused. She said if he cracked one more joke about her dad, my face would face the same fate as that streetlight this morning! She called him narcissistic and hit him with her schoolbag whenever he laughed about all of his female fans! What the hell? How could any one woman be this confusing? What the crap, she asks? He could ask the same of her. The puzzle that was her mind was harder to solve than a Rubik's cube.

"What do you mean I'm a terrible detective? I believe a kindergartener would be able to tell that you don't like me much as a person, let alone the way I feel about you!"

"Well maybe you should stop asking kindergarteners for advice Jimmy, because quite clearly they aren't the best source of information when it comes to anything outside of what happened on Barney today!" _My god, he's dense. I can't believe he's making me say this. Making me admit that I'm a traitor to my father_. "I am a traitor to my father, Jimmy, happy? Happy that your plan worked?"

"_What_? You make no sense at all, Rachel. What the hell are you talking about, a traitor to your father?"

"I mean your stupid irresistible Jimmy-charm affects me too. I mean that I love the _boy_ taking all clients from my _father_, even though I shouldn't even want to be your friend. My father works very hard, and has little to show for it, because you're out there on TV as a hero, solving cases faster than they should be developing!" Rachel was screaming now, drawing much unwanted attention to them. Jimmy couldn't care less that people were staring at them. Rachel just said she loved him. Well technically _shouted_ that she loved him, but it was all the same to him. His pupils dilated and a big goofy grin formed on his face. "That, that right there, is what my face looked like less than five minutes ago! You are the biggest idiot ever!"

"You said you love me." Jimmy couldn't think, at all. Rachel's words became real as he dazedly said that.

"No shit, Sherlock." Rachel was quickly becoming impatient with this new, stupid Jimmy. Though she would deny it tooth and nail, she rather liked it. It proved he could be caught off guard, that he wasn't as perfect as he'd like to believe. She would have loved it any other time, but right now she desperately wanted last night's dream to become a reality. Her in his arms, kissing one another passionately.

"Thanks for calling me Sherlock, but I'd prefer it if next time you'd say it to me nicely, instead of in that sarcastic tone. Like, maybe after I solve my next case, you could call me that lovingly. Then you could kiss me." Jimmy's smugness bothered her, so she walked up, slapped him, and then kissed his cheek where she slapped him, and then his lips, very briefly, very softly.

"If you keep talking like that, you won't be able to solve the next case. Because the case will be your murder. Of course it wont be very difficult because there'll be a note on you that says 'I did it, totally worth it he was getting on my nerves -Rachel Moore.'" Jimmy had never seen her this angry, and it was _hot._

"_You're hot when you're angry, too bad I'm too scared to make you like this more often."_


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: My goodness! I actually continued the story! Thanks to Alyssa for motivating me! I hope this chapter is okay, it's just kind of setting up for the actual storyline, which should start in another chapter or two. Enjoy!  


* * *

"Goddamn it Jimmy!" Jimmy hadn't even heard the door open, but he knew his girlfriend, Rachel was there. She definitely knew how to make an entrance. "When I became your girlfriend, I kind of expected you to stop blowing me off for cases left and right!" Jimmy stopped trying to work, Rachel would reach his room soon, and then it'd be impossible to. She would just keep going and going and going until he came up with something that pleased her. "… Do I have to commit a crime? Because right now it seems like you only care about people who commit them or solve them …"

"I know, why don't I take you and your dad out for dinner Friday? I promise I won't take_ any_ cases until then." Jimmy was desperate for Rachel to accept the deal. He felt awful for always blowing her off, but those last two cases were just too good to pass up!

"… a freaking fly has a longer atten-" Rachel stopped her rant abruptly when she realized the offer Jimmy had made. She wanted to take it, but how did she know he wouldn't cancel on her like he did the last two times? Rachel bit her lip, trying to decide whether to take the deal and risk getting blown off or turning him down and ruining a chance at a nice date.

"Hmm, Jimmy, how will I know you won't cancel?" If he had a way, she'd accept. If not, she'd beat the living shit out of that boy.

"If I do, you get three free hits on me."

"If that's your collateral, I'm in," Rachel said with a smile. Jimmy gulped. He really had to take this seriously. He had offered that without thinking. If he messed up, he was screwed. "See you tomorrow Jimmy." And with that, she kissed his cheek, turned on her heel, and left, and Jimmy returned to work.

* * *

"Hey Dad, Jimmy Kudo's my boyfriend and he's taking us out to dinner on Friday." Since she didn't know where to start, Rachel just decided to tell her dad everything at once. Perhaps that hadn't been the best choice. His face was getting awfully red at this point.

"What!? When did this happen!? How did this happen!? What do you mean!? I thought you said he was an arrogant jerk!" Richard didn't like this news. His only daughter was dating the boy taking all of his business! The boy was arrogant and cocky too! What the hell was Rachel thinking? "You said you hated the jerk! You traitor! You'd rather date him than show me respect?" Richard didn't even notice the tears forming as he spoke.

"He might be a jerk, but at least he cares about how I feel!" And with that, she ran out. Richard ran to the door, hoping he could catch her.

"Where are you going?"

"Where do you think? JIMMY'S!" And with that, she was gone.

* * *

"JIMMY!" Jimmy didn't recognize what emotion was tinting her voice, mixing with her anger. If he didn't know better, he'd think she was crying. But she never willingly let people see her cry. Back in grade school, he learned the hard way, and sported a black eye for a week. Jimmy was pulled out of his thoughts by proof that his original assumption was correct when she reached the room he was in. Tears were streaming down her face, and it was red. Jimmy didn't know what happened, but the prime suspect for who made her cry would have to be her father. Before he could ask, she answered for him. "My dad is an ASSHOLE! I hate him! I hate him, I hate him I hate him, I hate him!"

"What happened Rachel?" Jimmy asked softly while having her sit. This was why Rachel came here. Because Jimmy cared. He would listen. He wouldn't yell at her. That was why he was her _boyfriend_. She loved calling him that.

"I told him that you were my boyfriend and that you had offered to take us to dinner and he started yelling at me, calling me a traitor and saying that I was a liar and that I was disrespecting him." Jimmy understood why she was so upset. He called her a traitor. He remembered her calling herself that when they went to Tropical Land.

"Well maybe it was too much at once." Rachel shot Jimmy a glare that could have paralyzed a weaker man. "I'm not taking his side, I'm analyzing, Rachel. How about this? I'll go get a movie for us to watch, and some popcorn, and then we can enjoy that instead of focusing on your dad being a jerk." Before Rachel even had a chance to respond, Jimmy was up and heading for the door. Rachel didn't know why he left so abruptly, but something in his look, the _concern_, kept her from asking why she couldn't come. Besides, she didn't really want to go. After all, enough people had seen her crying as she ran to his house. _How embarrassing!

* * *

_

Jimmy finished at the video rental store quickly. Now he just had one more thing to take care of. He headed up the stairs quickly, hoping they'd be home. When Jimmy reached the door, he rang the doorbell.

"What the hell are you doing here, Jimmy!? Rachel said she was going to your place!" To say Richard was shocked would be an understatement. Rachel ran off to Jimmy's, but Jimmy was right in front of him, and Jimmy looked pretty angry.

"I was out getting a movie for us to watch since she doesn't like my movies. May I come in?" Richard motioned for Jimmy to come in. Why was Jimmy here? "Richard, you made Rachel cry. She ran into my house sobbing. In case you don't know, she doesn't like people seeing her cry." Jimmy looked pissed. Richard was getting more and more uncomfortable. He just finished off his can of beer and tossed it to the side. "She said you called her a traitor. Just so you know, that's what really bothered her. You could have said you hated me, and that she was an idiot and she just would have shouted back. But you had to go there and call her a traitor. She yelled at me when we went to Tropical Land, because she thought she was a traitor. She's aware that logically, she should hate me. But she doesn't. She happens to like me very much. And I feel the same about her. So if you can't behave yourself on Friday when I take you two to dinner, I would prefer you don't come. I'm trying to make up for canceling our last two dates for cases, so I'd like it be a nice dinner. However, I would like to get along with you better, so please, try to come and behave like an adult." Richard was shocked that Jimmy had the nerve to say something like that. Richard was Rachel's _father_, and Jimmy was just her _boyfriend_, and Jimmy had the guts to tell him off? "By the way, Richard, don't tell Rachel I came here. She doesn't need to know." And with that, Jimmy just left. Just walked out, as if he didn't just tell Richard what he could and couldn't do around his own daughter. Richard was actually somewhat impressed.

* * *

Rachel was beginning to get impatient when Jimmy finally got back from getting the movie and popcorn. "What the hell took you so long?"

"Sorry, but the store near here is going out of business so their prices are way up in a desperate attempt to stay afloat, so I had to go to the one by your place. Then I had a huge debate over whether or not to get a horror movie so I could calm you down or one we could both watch. After I decided against horror I had to-"

"Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah, you could have cut off your story after saying you had to go to a different one. I don't need your life story! Let's just watch the movie!"

Jimmy had picked a good movie, Rachel enjoyed it, and so did Jimmy. It was well past dinnertime when it ended so they cooked themselves dinner. As Rachel was getting up to leave, Jimmy stopped her. "Hey, Rachel?" When she turned, Jimmy continued. "Don't force your dad to come with us on Friday. I'd like it if he did and I'm sure you would too, but it _is _our date and I don't want him to ruin it." Rachel smiled and kissed Jimmy goodnight.

"Goodnight Jimmy, I love you."

"I love you too Rachel."

* * *

When Rachel got home, it was past eight o'clock. Richard was starting to wonder why she was taking so long. When Jimmy had left, it was around six. How long could the movie be that it was taking this long? "I'm home dad," Rachel called from the doorway.

"What the hell took you so long at Jimmy's?" Richard was about to ask what kind of movie they could have been watching when he remembered Jimmy's parting request-not to let Rachel know he had been there. "Honestly, what could you have possibly been doing? I waited for you to order pizza, but you took so damn long to get back!"

Rachel took a deep breath. She had a great time with Jimmy and wasn't about to let her father burst her bubble of contentment. "Jimmy and I watched a movie, Dad."

"There's pizza in the kitchen."

"I ate at Jimmy's. I learned a new recipe from him too, so I'll make it for you tomorrow." Richard was uneasy. Rachel seemed calm and content, but not only had she spent around two hours with a boy who got under her skin, but she should be pissed at him. Why wasn't she screaming? Whenever he pissed her off, she'd go away for a little while, and then scream in his face, and make him feel guilty until he apologized.

Rachel seemed to pick up on her father's unease, and she couldn't help but feel bad. "You know Dad, I'm really not mad at you anymore. You hit a nerve, and I got upset. If you hate Jimmy so much, don't come with us on Friday. I'd like it to be a pleasant dinner, if you don't mind. He's making up for having to cancel our last two dates for cases," Rachel finished with a distant smile, as if she were focusing on something that wasn't in the room.

Richard felt really guilty when he saw that smile. Rachel was obviously thinking about Jimmy, and she had the prettiest smile, just like her mother used to have. It was obvious Richard was in the wrong in this situation. Then again, if Jimmy had canceled their last two dates how did she know he wouldn't do it again? "How do you know he won't cancel?"

"Three free shots. That's his collateral. He doesn't have a death wish, Dad." Richard was impressed. That kid really cared.

"Hn, now I feel like I have to go to this dinner if this kid's trying so hard."

"Well neither of us want you there if you can't act like an adult."

"I'll behave, Rachel. I won't call him any names, and I won't yell. But he's paying."

"I know, Dad. That's how _him _taking _us _to dinner works." Rachel was tired, and she didn't want to talk to her father anymore.

"Just making sure he wasn't bringing me along to pay."

"No, he really wants to get along with you. He thinks if you two get along I won't feel guilty anymore. I'm tired and going to sleep. Goodnight, Dad."


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: If you get confused while reading, no, I'm not an idiot, this takes place months after the last chapter. Also, do try to login when you review. I was so excited when I got my second review and wanted to respond to _Jason_, who is my second reviewer for this story, thanking him for taking the time to review, and explaining that that chapter was just because I had a couple different ideas all pop into my head at once, and I had to get them out before they distracted me during my quarterly, when I discovered that he either didn't log in or doesn't have an account. So yeah, if you've got an account sign in, and please, please, please review, because if I feel like no one's reading, I'm not going to write as much. __**I do not own Case Closed! Nor do I own any dialogue that I took from the show, or the characters! I own the stuff that isn't what I just mentioned!**_

"Really, Dr. Agasa. What could have possessed you to try _that_ at two in the morning?" Jimmy had just woken up to the sound of an explosion. Usually those didn't start until eleven on weekends, but here he was, with Dr. Agasa, at two in the morning on a Saturday.

"I'm sorry Jimmy, but I just couldn't sleep after I heard the news!" The man looked crazy, his face all lit up and burns covering half of it.

"Alright, I'll bite. What news?" Jimmy had no clue what it could be, and if he didn't find out, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep either.

"There was a drawing for a chance to attend a Sherlock Holmes convention, and if you won the drawing, then you'd get to go and get a chance at a special prize!"

"Well if there _was_ one, why are you only telling me now?" Jimmy just didn't get it. Why didn't Agasa feel bad? Telling him after the fact about something he would go a year without cases for!

"Well because I thought it would be a lovely surprise for you! Just last night I got a call saying that you won! I was just so excited I couldn't sleep!" Jimmy's face lit up. He won? He had a chance at winning a special prize? Jimmy couldn't be happier to be awake at two in the morning on a Saturday.

* * *

That Monday, all he could think about was telling Rachel in homeroom. "Hey Rachel, guess what?"

"I don't know, did Christmas come early in the Kudo house? Did your parents finally get back? Honestly I can't think of many more things that could possibly make you so happy." The only other one she could think of was Sherlock Holmes coming to life.

"Well then you need to think harder. The news is so great I didn't even care that I heard it at two in the morning on Saturday after another Dr. Agasa induced explosion!"

"So Sherlock _did _come to life."

"No. But almost as good. Give up? Alright I'll tell you." Rachel didn't know what could possibly be this exciting for Jimmy. "I won a drawing and am going to a Sherlock Holmes convention and have a chance at getting a special prize!" Rachel was proud of herself. Her actual, non-sarcastic guess was that it had to do with Sherlock- after all, he didn't look that excited when she accidentally said she loved him. Though, she did prefer the completely shocked, stupid expression he had then to the one he had on now. "Hey Rachel, do you want to come with me?"

"I don't know, my dad might not be so happy with the idea. He might have gotten over his 'eternal' hatred towards you over the months we've been dating, but he still doesn't like you. But if he is okay, when is it?"

"That I don't know. I can tell you after school, though." Rachel was terribly confused by this. How could he not know? Not only did he have to enter a drawing to go, but he was inviting her.

"How do you not know when a convention you have to enter a drawing to attend is?"

"Dr. Agasa did it as a surprise for me and just told me Saturday, so I spent the rest of my weekend rereading my favorite Sherlock mysteries."

"Well if Dr. Agasa did that for you, why don't you take him?"

"Because I don't want to spend a weekend with an old man who tends to make things that shouldn't normally explode, well, explode, in a secluded area in a house on a cliff." Jimmy really hoped that Rachel was picturing what Jimmy was. "Just think of it- a house full of Sherlock fans-" Rachel groaned. Full? "Alright, so not _full_, but _containing_ Sherlock fans with a beautiful view of the ocean and brilliant sunrises and sunsets, for a weekend!"

"You really want me to go, don't you?" Rachel could feel herself starting to cave- the scene he painted was almost perfect!

"Nothing would make me happier than sharing a room with _you_ and _not_ Dr. Agasa." Rachel couldn't help the snort at that comment. She knew he wasn't inviting her because of that, and he just saw it as a plus, but still.

* * *

"Hey Daddy," Rachel hoped she could talk her dad into this one. "Jimmy said he'd give you any cases that have the potential to run into the week of the 28th," This would come his way no matter what- Jimmy couldn't risk missing this for anything, but Richard didn't need to know that- it was her leverage.

"Hm, why is he giving me the cases?"

"We're going to a Sherlock Holmes convention and he wants to take off a week to reread all of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries."

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

"Really? You'll let me go? Promise?"

"Yeah, sure, I promise. What do I care if you go on a day trip?"

"It's for the whole weekend and you can't take back your promise now!" And with that, Rachel ran off childishly. Richard was mad. But then again, he trusted his daughter, what was there to worry about?

* * *

Rachel sat in the car full of Sherlock fans as they discussed their favorite cases. She sat in the front to talk to the driver, Betsy. At least she didn't constantly talk about Sherlock, Watson, or Doyle.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I never caught your name," said the man named Ernie Bower.

"Jimmy. Jimmy Kudo." He said it with such smugness. Rachel internally groaned, knowing what was coming next.

Though there were only four other people in the car, a chorus of "_The _Jimmy Kudo?" and "I knew you looked familiar!" filled the car, leading to Jimmy's laughter at all the recognition and praise. This was going to be a long ride.

"I knew I should have brought a pin with me!" Rachel muttered. Jimmy caught it, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"And why might that be?"

"Your head's inflating. We wouldn't want you to float off, now would we, Jimmy?"

"No, I suppose we wouldn't. Then the convention wouldn't have a guest of honor." Jimmy supplied that bit of knowledge he hadn't shared with her with such pride Rachel couldn't help but feel happy for him. He was being honored at a convention for his hero, Sherlock Holmes.

"Well, congratulations on being the guest of honor." The rest of the ride was actually pretty nice. She got to hear exactly what happened on some of Jimmy's cases, and the way his mind worked was fascinating. The others in the car kept saying how much Jimmy was like Sherlock and every time, Jimmy would just laugh and say something stupid.

* * *

"Welcome, thank you all for your contest entries. I'm Henry Kanucka, the sponsor of this competition, and the one with the honor of selecting the winners. I can safely announce there are no greater Sherlock Holmes fans in the country than the ones you see standing before you today."

"And there's one here who even lives like the great Holmes!" exclaimed Burt Bledsoe. "Jimmy Kudo is here!" And again, choruses of "_The_ Jimmy Kudo?!" and "I knew you looked familiar!" filled Rachel's ears. This was going to be a long weekend at this rate.

"Hmph, how predictable, Jimmy," said a man who must have ridden in a different car. "So, you're _the_ Jimmy Kudo, great detective of the east."

"And who might you be?" Jimmy asked. He had no idea who this guy was, and why the guy acted as if he was better than him.

"Harley Hartwell. Great detective of the west, or the Kudo of the west, depending on who you talk to."

"So we have _two _detectives who love Doyle and his masterpiece of Mr. Holmes! How exciting!" Mr. Kanucka couldn't believe his fortune at picking two such wonderful contestants.

"Nah, I'm more of an Ellery Queen fan. I like him _way_ more."

"Then _why _are you here?" Jimmy was irritated. Who did this tan jerk think he was insulting Doyle like that?

"To meet you. And see if you really do deserve to be considered in my league. If you do, it'd be a first," Rachel couldn't believe her ears. A western equivalent of Jimmy? Oh, god. _Two Jimmys. _She could barely handle one! She couldn't help the groan that escaped her at the thought. Harley turned when he heard the groan, and noticed Rachel for the first time. "Well hello there, the name's Harley."

_Dear lord, he's even worse!_ Rachel rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I heard it when you introduced yourself to Jimmy. Honestly, I think the question is whether _you_ are in _his_ league." Jimmy couldn't believe that Rachel would actually say that. "After all, Jimmy has solved some pretty tough cases. And he's never heard of you, but you've heard of him, so what does that tell you?"

"Nice to meet you too," he said with a cocked eyebrow and an arrogant smirk. _Yup, definitely worse. What an ass._

"Yeah, a real pleasure. Why don't you shut up so we can hear what Mr. Kanucka has to say and then go to sleep. I'm tired."

"Well, as I was about to say, since it's already so late, I suggest that we all turn in for the night. Breakfast will be served at nine sharp and then we will reconvene for lunch at one o'clock. After our dinner at eight o'clock, it will be quiz time, and finally you will be able to test your Holmes knowledge. But wait, there's more! Whoever manages to get a perfect score will receive this rare treasure. Now, we've all seen copies of A Study in Scarlet before, but this one is worth a small fortune! It's the very first edition ever printed!" Almost everyone gasped at the sight-only Harley, Mr. Kanucka and Betsy didn't.

"Did you see that Rachel?! A first edition copy of A Study in Scarlet! Isn't that amazing?"

"Hell, Jimmy, even I can't come up with a sarcastic remark-that is really, _really _cool."

"However, before any of you are permitted to compete for this rare prize, you must first give me proof of your devotion to Arthur Conan Doyle."

"What proof?" asked Sheila Sands.

"The proof is right here. Betsy is passing it out. It's a test. There are one thousand Holmes questions"

"A thousand?" moaned Moira.

"Don't worry, you'll have until dinnertime tomorrow evening to finish up. Now, in order to qualify for the competition you must get at least nine-hundred and ninety questions right, out of one thousand. Please hand over any books you may have on Holmes or any cell phones to Betsy- we have to ensure that this is a fair competition! I've also taken other precautions as well: there are surveillance cameras and listening devices installed throughout this mansion. You'll notice that these watchful eyes and ears are in each room. If anyone is caught cheating, they'll have to leave the premises immediately." The quizzes were passed out and cell phones and books were placed on the tray Betsy walked around with, and everyone but herself, Rachel, Harley and Mr. Kanucka took a quiz, and everyone's phones were placed on the tray, to be placed in the safe. Afterwords, people left for their rooms.

"So," Harley asked, "how do you and Jimmy know each other?"

"We go to the same school. We've been buddies for a while." She saw Harley light up, and she just couldn't help but burst his bubble. "And, we just started dating a couple months ago." Almost instantly, his face fell. "Well," Rachel said rather cheerfully, "good night." And with that, she walked away from Harley, rather happy to be free of the arrogant prick. She was about to leave when she realized she didn't know where the room was, and looked for Jimmy, who was talking excitedly to Mr. Kanucka. "Come on, Jimmy, I don't know where the room is and I'm tired!" As if to better punctuate her sentence, she yawned rather loudly.

"Yeah, yeah, be there in a bit…"

"Jimmy…" Rachel growled, and Jimmy involuntarily shuddered. An angry Rachel was definitely something to avoid.

"Coming!


End file.
